LBQ women’s help seeking regarding their alcohol, smoking and vaping

LBQ women commonly smoke, vape and drink alcohol at risky levels, however typically access very limited professional support for these issues. This presentation reports findings from the QSOX project, a longitudinal study of 60 LBQ women’s alcohol and nicotine use in Victoria and New South Wales. Interviews revealed desires for agency, self-help, and peer support to manage their usage. Significant barriers to professional help-seeking included beliefs that their problem was not bad enough, lack of awareness of available services, and failures of professionals to offer inclusive and targeted advice. Frequently mental health provision did not incorporate substance use support. Implications for the AOD sector are to tailor their services for LBQ women, embrace self-efficacy principles and integrate AOD into mental healthcare. Promoting these approaches directly to the LBQ communities will encourage access while upholding agency.

Ruth McNair | Associate Professor, The University of Melbourne

Dr Ruth McNair AM is an academic GP specialising in LGBTQ healthcare, research and training. She is an Honorary Associate Professor at the Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne. She became a Member of the Order of Australia in 2019 for significant service to medicine and as an advocate for the LGBTI community.

Credited Persons

Ruby Grant | Researcher, La Trobe University

Adam Bourne | Professor, La Trobe University

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